


This Was A Mistake

by Chocopiggy



Series: Infinite Ironstrange [2]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Insecure Stephen Strange, Insecurity, IronStrange, M/M, Mistakes were NOT made, Reassurances dw, Sort of pre-romantic relationship?, The cloak is cute, They're cute, Tony being an awesome bf, first dates!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:41:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23573272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chocopiggy/pseuds/Chocopiggy
Summary: Stephen's trying to avoid the inevitable, but Tony and Levi are here for him.
Relationships: Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: Infinite Ironstrange [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1696747
Comments: 8
Kudos: 95





	This Was A Mistake

**Author's Note:**

> I found the link to the prompt list!  
> https://creativichee.tumblr.com/post/120992338495/send-me-a-number-and-ill-write-a-micro-story

The shaking in Stephen's hands was more pronounced than usual, he noted standing in front of the large window in the Sanctum. He technically should have been getting ready for his and Stark’s date which would be happening in under an hour, but seeing the increase in the constant tremors he experienced, Stephen saw this as an easy excuse to bail, however inconvenient it would be for the other man.

His agreeing to the dinner Tony seemed so adamant they have was a mistake. Stephen let himself get carried away, caught up in the wonderful whimsy of their snarky, amazing time together, without considering any consequence, any problem he could encounter indulging in selfish fantasies of progressing beyond that business-relationship.

Deciding cancelling would be the best course of action, he turned around and headed to his room, where his Stark Phone, courtesy of his would-be date (“Come on wizard, even you could do with some modern technology in this ancient-ass building!”), would have been charging on the side table. Except it wasn’t there.

He got on his knees, checking under the bed and in the dark crevices between the furniture to see if it could have fallen, but as far as he could remember, it was pretty secure when he last left it. Hearing a vague tapping behind him, he turned around and saw the Cloak of Levitation. Holding his phone.

“Levi, what are you doing? Give it here,” Stephen said, holding a scarred hand out. In whatever way the cloak managed this, it shook its ‘head’ in blatant defiance. Stephen knitted his eyebrows in confusion. Levi had always been subservient, unless it knew something Stephen didn’t, and subsequently helped its master out.

“Levi, please. I just need to message Tony and you can go back to doing whatever you want with it!” Again, it shook its head, and darted from the doorway.

“Hey! Levi! Get back here!” Stephen chased his cloak down the hallway, down the stairs to the main entrance, where it hovered by the doors, holding his phone out for him to take. What was that about?

Glaring at his cloak, he snatched it up, and Levi moved around to settle around Stephen’s shoulders, as if attempting to see what Stephen was actually doing on his phone.

Unlocking it using the voice-recognition software Tony had installed after his own meticulous research regarding the former surgeon’s car accident, Stephen began to type out an apology:

SS: Hey Tony, sorry for the short notice. I can no longer meet up with you tonight, as other complications have arisen that I must deal with first. Thank you for understanding.

TS: First off, what’s with the formalities?!

TS: Second off, a little late to cancel!!!!

SS: Again, I’m sorry, but I can’t tonight.

TS: No, I mean I’m literally outside your doors. Let me in!

Right after reading that last message, Stephen heard knocking at the door, and before he could react (probably with some attempt to avoid answering it), Levi left him with no choice and turned the knob with one of its corners, revealing a flustered-looking Tony on the other side, his armour just disappearing into the reactor in the centre of his chest, revealing a clearly custom-fitted suit.

“Hey there stranger. Not saying I don’t appreciate the view, but that might be a little too understated for where I’m planning to take us tonight,” Tony said with a grin.

Seeing Tony as well dressed as he was left Stephen feeling a little more than ‘too understated.’ In his grey sweatpants and black t-shirt he chose for the day rather than his usual robes, not to mention the scruffy look he kept his hair in after neglecting to run through it with a comb, he looked more like an exhausted community college student than someone going on a date with the Tony Stark.

“Ah, hi Tony. You saw I was busy right? So I’m sorry, but maybe another time,” he said sheepishly while moving to close the door. Tony blocked it with one of his own hands.

“Hey hey hey, what do you mean busy? Is it anything I can help with?”

“No, it’s… sorcerer stuff. You wouldn’t get it, so please…” Stephen stared at his shaking hands absent-mindedly. Tony, noticing the sorcerer’s gaze, realized the situation.

“We don’t have to go out, if that’s what you want,” Tony began softly.

Stephen looked back at him, confused, and slightly frustrated by the mechanic’s refusal to leave. “What would you suggest we do instead?! I can’t be there for you in every way I wish I could be. I am barely acquaintance-material, let’s not even mention dating or whatever it is you want! I made a mistake agreeing to go out with you, this was a mistake! And I’m sorry for putting you through this. But I’m doing us a favour cutting this off this early. I’m just saving you future pain.” His voice cracked at the last word.

Tony looked up at him incredulously, shaking his head. The cloak made gestures for Tony to step inside the Sanctum before Stephen could cut off any argument. “Hey, lemme just…” Tony shifted past the sorcerer into the main hallway, closing the door behind him.

Tony took a breath. “Okay, first off, you aren’t forcing me to do anything. I want every part of you, the good, and trust me—there is so much good, but also the bad, and I don’t care about whatever bullshit limitations you think would prevent you and me both from being happy together!” He moved to hold both of Stephen’s hands in his own.

“And I just want whatever you want. But without whatever fear or self-sacrificial nonsense that’s holding you back! I’ve talked with other sorcerers before, and they all said it was perfectly fine for you to be with someone else, in that way, and still be a badass magician! You obviously thought you could do it when I asked you out, and the only problem was that you started to overthink about us. What we could be.”

Stephen’s eyes shifted to the floor, back to his hands now linked with Tony’s, back to the floor. “I—I just can’t be the reason you hurt. And I feel like that’s inevitable, if we pursue this.”

“Do you not think it hurts me if we don’t pursue this? I’ve loved you since… Thanos, and it’s been over a year! I want to be with you, and I think you want to be with me too. And it hurts to see you deny yourself what we could be! Just give us a chance!”

“You… love me?” At this Stephen looked back up.

Tony smiled back incredulously. “Of course I do you idiot!” He seized Stephen in a hug, causing the sorcerer to have to bend down slightly to accommodate their height difference. “I love you,” Tony whispered once more. “Give us a chance.”

Stephen shrunk down into the hug, his long arms tightening around the mechanic. “Okay,” he breathed. “I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hello my guys, gals, and non-binary pals!
> 
> Did y'all catch the fact that Levi was disobedient since he knew Tony would be good for Stephen and our idiot sorcerer was just taking a little longer in realizing that? :))
> 
> In other news, the feedback on my last fic was awesome, thank you SO MUCH!!!! Kudos and comments are awesome. You made it so easy for me to keep being inspired to write during these certainly trying times.
> 
> Hope you are doing well! All the love to you <3 <3 <3


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